I Remember Who I Am

What did you remember?” I blurted.

My voice cracked and echoed too loud in the cave and I instantly wished I could swallow it back down but I couldn’t. The training place was so quiet. The atmosphere felt cold, like the kind of cold that gets stuck in your nose.

The fire we left burning from training popped softly, and I stared at it because looking at Kael’s face made my stomach twist.

“Kael?” I said again, voice smaller this time. “Why aren’t you talking? What did you mean?”

Kael didn’t move at first, just sat there, head down, eyes shining weird in the firelight.

Finally, his mouth moved. “I remember who I am.”

Then nothing.

Like, completely nothing.

This made me wanted to scream just to fill the quiet.

“Say something,” I whispered, standing from where I knelt down. “Please.”

Kael stood up really fast I flinched , caught unaware and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest.

“Kael!” I squeaked, scooting back a little. “You’re scaring me!”

He didn’t answer. He just paced back and forth, boots scraping the dirt like he was carving lines into the cave floor.

“Talk to me!” I said louder this time.

He stopped. Slowly turned his face toward the fire.

Then he said, “I was a king.”

I blinked. My heart thudded.

“A… king?” I asked, because what else do you even say to that? “Like… a real king?”

His silver eyes glowed and they looked sad and angry at the same time. “The last Lycan King,” he said. “I remember my family. My pack. And the night Selene cursed me.” His voice dropped lower, rougher. “She didn’t just take my crown. She took me. She wanted to erase me like I never existed.”

“That’s horrible,” I whispered, holding on to my pendant. It was so hot it almost burned me. I wondered why it always burned me for a second.

“That’s why she’s after you,” I said.

“Yes.” He said it sharp, like a knife. “And she knows where we are. She’s coming.”

My throat went dry. “Then we run.”

He shook his head slowly. “No.”

“Why no?” My voice was too loud, almost a shout.

“Because if we keep running, she wins,” he said.

I flinched again, but he kept talking, stepping closer. “If she finds you and you still can’t control what’s inside you…” His fists clenched. “You have to fight.”

I stared at my hands. “What if I mess it up?”

“Then we try again,” Kael said simply.

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“You won’t yell at me?”

“No.”

“You won’t give up?”

His eyes softened. “Never.”

My chest hurt but in a warm way. “Then teach me,” I said, standing even though my legs felt wobbly.

“At dawn,” he said, and this time his mouth curved a little.

Dawn was horrible.

“This is freezing!” I yelled as I stumbled on the wet grass.

“Again,” Kael said after knocking me flat.

“You like this, admit it!”

“Again.”

“Say you like it!”

“Faster this time,” he said, and I’m pretty sure he was smiling.

“You’re impossible!”

“Stand up.”

“I am standing!”

“Then move.”

I groaned but I still moved. I kept falling, but I kept getting back up, muttering insults under my breath every time, but he didn’t even look offended. By the time the sun showed up, my hair was sticking to my face and I was covered in dirt but I wasn’t crying.

“Better,” Kael said, tossing me water.

“Better?” I repeated, panting.

“Yes.”

I grinned even though I didn’t mean to. “You sound almost proud.”

“Almost.”

That night he took me to a clearing.

“Why here?” I asked, staring up at the giant stars.

“Because it’s quiet,” he said.

“I don’t like quiet.”

“You need it tonight.”

“Why?”

“Because we call your wolf now.”

I froze. “Last time I almost—”

“You survived,” Kael said, stepping closer.

“Barely.”

“Barely is still alive.”

“You think this is funny?”

“No. I think you’re stronger than you think.”

I bit my lip. “Fine. But if I pass out, it’s your fault.”

He almost smiled. “Deal.”

So I closed my eyes and there she was—my wolf—right away, breathing loud in my head like she’d been waiting for me this whole time.

Then the fire came, silver and hot, and my breath caught but I didn’t push it away.

“Good,” Kael said quietly.

“Don’t talk,” I hissed.

“Why not?”

“Because you’ll distract me!”

“You’re holding it,” he said, ignoring me. “That’s good. Don’t lose it.”

“I’m not losing it!”

“Yes, you are.”

“I’m NOT!”

“You’re shouting.”

“I’m not shouting!”

He smiled faintly, and somehow that made me steadier. The fire stayed, glowing around me like a shield, until my arms shook but I didn’t let go.

When I opened my eyes, Kael was just staring.

“What?” I said nervously.

“You did it,” he said.

“I did?”

“Yes.”

I grinned so hard my face hurt. “I did it!”

“Yes,” he said again, softer.

Then the world went quiet.

“Why did it get so quiet?” I whispered.

Kael’s head snapped toward the trees.

“What is it?” I asked, my voice going small.

“We’re not alone.”

And then a laugh came from the dark.

“Who’s there?” I shouted.

“Stay back,” Kael said, but I didn’t hide.

Selene walked out like she was gliding, her hair shining silver in the moonlight, her smile all sharp.

“Well, well,” she said slowly. “Look at you. Playing with fire.”

“I’m not scared of you,” I said, louder than I meant to.

“You should be.” Her grin widened. “Fear tastes sweet.”

“Shut up,” I snapped, but my knees were shaking.

Selene laughed, a sound like glass breaking.

Kael moved closer to me. “Easy,” he said softly, brushing my hand with his.

“Don’t tell me easy!” I yelled, my fire flaring higher.

Selene tilted her head. “Oh, little sister. You really might burn it all.”

Then she vanished. Just gone.

Her laugh stayed, echoing in the trees until it faded.

My fire died down and my knees gave out but Kael was right there.

“Breathe,” he said, his voice soft now.

“I am breathing!”

“Slower.”

“I can’t!”

“You can.”

I dragged in air until my chest stopped hurting so much.

“She’s coming,” I whispered.

“Yes,” Kael said, his silver eyes glowing. “But next time we’ll be ready.”

“You really think so?”

“Yes.”

I nodded. “Then I guess I’ll be ready too.”

And for the first time, I almost believed it.